Vindicate (19 page)

“I would hate to think of how many you ’
ve already asked to know what you do know.”

He smiled slightly. “Oddly , not that many…I’ve never been able to see someone so easily before.”

“Not even Charlie?”

He smirked. “I have a very hard time seeing Charlie . N
ot sure if that ’
s a good thing or not. I think I see you so clearly because I understand them,” he said , glancing to Drake and Landen. “I understand where they are and what they ’
re fighting.
I’m the only one who ’
s faced that, and if I help you beat it, then I know I ’
ll be one step closer to destroying that place . T
he place that haunts my life and threatens to take away everythi ng worth living for away .”

“The faster we bring them back -
-
the fas ter I can destroy it for you.
” I sat back down beside Landen and took his hand in mine. “So I know what to say.
Now what?”

Draven stepped back. “Now , ” he said , reaching for the drapes , “
y ou ’
re going to have to give them strength. Y
our energy. That will buy us time until we can teach you, or I can reach where they are.” He nodded to Drake. “I would help him first so Landen can give you back what you lost.”

I felt myself fight with patience. “I want to go now – not make them stronger – how long is this going to take?”

“Willow, I mean it . T
hey’re weak . Even if we went now it may be to o late. Y
ou give them your energy , and you pull them back. T
he more you give , the closer they are to us – the more time we have, the less mast ered you have to be at seeing.
I promise , you need to do this . Right now.” The seriousness in his emerald stare made my heart race. I had to push down my jealously, rage, and impatience at least for a moment.

As if he could see my struggle, Draven added, “Think of what you ’
ll ask them, and they ’
ll look for that question in ev ery illusion they face. Y
ou stop whatever she ’
s doing to them right now if you do this , ”
h e then closed the drape s leaving me with Landen and Drake’s near lifeless bodies.

I focused on Draven’s lingering words and felt his truth, his honest intent.
Finding courage and determination I leaned down and let my warm lips rest on Landen’s , wishing for the simplest response from him.

When one didn ’
t come , I gently crawled over him to sit between them. I closed my eyes and took in a few deep breaths – clearing my mind and allowing my soul to leave my body.

I appeared just before where I sat. I wanted so des perately to help Landen first. T
o bring him back to me. I knew I could face what was happening to Drake – to these kids I’d brought here if he was by my side, but Draven was right.
I had to give my energy to Drake first because he would leave me weak – blissfully numb and weak.

I edged forward and let my hand rest on his chest. I didn’t use my m emories of that day at the lake.
I used his . T
he o nes I saw when I took my life. T
he one time I could feel him. E
very part of his emotion. I focused on that memory from his perspective and let the energy of my soul seep into his chest.

His body tensed , and his back bowed slightly. His reaction to my simple gesture gave me hope. I began to remember each time he ’
d called me ‘
Love .
’
The dreams he ’
d show n me.
I forgot the heartache I’d always seen in our past lives and focused on the passion, the love that we must have h ad for one another at one time. T
he friendship we had now. I leaned closer , letting more of my energy fall into him. At first I didn’t feel the hum his energy always carried , but slowly , as if he w ere coming to life , I felt it.
I felt it ease through my soul – then , as if I w ere the air he was breathing , I felt myself pulled into him – into his soul.

Time seemed to stand stil l. I t was quiet. T
o o qu iet…darkness was all around me. I t was so dark that I felt blind, afraid. I thought his name and whispered it , along with a plea for him to come back to me. Just when I ’
d given up hope , when I knew that he was t o o far a way for me to reach , I felt his energy intensify. It was as if he w ere holding me – not in a passionate moment – but in the blissful aftermath – in the moment where you r heart is racing , yet you’re to o numb to move. T
o think.
Then I heard him.
“You are life – you are real.”
His voice was weak in my thoughts , but he was grasping who I was.

“
I am – I am , Drake,”
I thought. “
Come back to me. She is not real. R
emember what is real , ”
I thought as I let the memories, his memories of our past , race through my thoughts. I was growing weak , but I felt him gro wing stronger.
I felt him waking up. I knew if I didn ’
t move now – I never would.
I would be too weak. I slowly pulled my energy from his body , seeing his aura reach out for me – begging me to stay.

With the absence of his energy , my soul fell between them.
I was dizzy …then I remembered what I was doing. I slowly reached for Landen’s hand , and with his touch my soul was pulled into him. It was like he was reaching out for me, he was holding me, that even in his state , he felt my weakness and only had one desire : to make me stronger.

When every part of my energy was within him , a blinding light surrounded me. I felt alive , sure of myself. I thought for an instant that I ’
d managed to fall into his thoughts on my own – that I was about to pull him back to me.

I screamed his name in my thoughts , feeling him all around me.
I walked forward , not knowing where the blinding light would lead me. Then all at once , I saw the purest color of blue. I saw his eyes before me. I ran as I fast as I could toward them . A s I came closer , the white glow subsided slowly , and I saw his face. H
is gorgeous face – his eyes .
I reached my arms around his strong , broad shoulders. I felt the warm th of his soul hum inside of mine. His hands cradled my face as his eyes searched deeply into my soul.
I almost forgot to think about our first kiss, the qui et moments we had when he told me that ‘I love you’ was a promise in his world – a gratitude to the universe for allo wing them to feel that emotion. T
hat love was the foundation of his world – when I finally thought of those moments , his smile grew.
“I should have kiss ed you long before that moment.
I should have found a w ay to tell you that I was real. That I would come for you and take you to the place that exists because I love you.”

“Come back to me , ”
I thought as I pulled him closer.
“
W
e’re not done. N
ot yet.”

“No. W
e’re not …
this is the beginning. Willow, I see clearly now . T
his place – it is the core of what we fight. I t is what we have been fighting from our first breath. E
verything in Esterious – Drake was just a distraction from this evil . This place is where our war is. T
his is where our victory is.”

“Then come back for me , and we ’
ll fight it together. D
on’t you dare leave me here!”
I argued , seeing the goodbye in his eyes.

“I ’
ll never watch you burn again.”

“What?
!
”
I questioned.

Anger filled his eyes, and I could swear I saw flames burning there . T
he anger wasn’t at me ; it was focused on a memory I couldn ’
t perceive.

“
I was a fool not to trust fate, we ’
re losing this battle . T
hat stops now.
”
His blue eyes cascaded over my face.
“I love you. I love you so much.”

He leaned slowly toward my lips , and when I felt them, I felt a hum of energy that had never belonged to him before. I closed my eyes and moved mine fiercely against his – begging him – the universe itself , not to let us be apa rt any longer – or ever again.
I felt an explosion of energy between us. I t was so strong; it pushed my energy out of his body and back into mine. Thunder vibrated through the room as light n ing turned everything around me blue.

I gasped for air as I stared wide-eyed at where he laid. His skin was no longer pale ; it was full of color , almost red with excitement. His bre aths were deep and deliberate.
I thought for sure he would open his eyes at any moment.

Every part of my body was tingling with the electricity in the air. My eyes shifted between Landen and Drake , waiting for any movement or response.
They both looked stronger but refused to open their eyes.

I had no idea what he meant by ‘watch me burn’ or why his soul was humming. I was confused and terrified...what was she doing to my Landen ?

Draven pulled back the drape beside Landen just as I felt the others charge into the room. Draven’s eyes turned black as they looked at Landen’s body , then Drake’s.

He glanced at me after a second or two.

“What did he mean?” I asked in a shaky voice.

He grimaced “It’s hard for me to see what he’s facing, but I can tell you The R
ealm m akes you relive past lives . S
omething in his past was rev ea led to him .
” Draven raised one eyebrow as he let out a deep sigh that was laced with dread.
“
D
oesn’t look like he cared t o o much for what he saw. B
ut then again , none of us really do.”

That was his past? Fire? What? When did I burn in our past?

My father, Brady , and Alamos rushed to the bed , pulling back the drapes and looking at Draven with accusing eyes.

My father raised his hands to stop the onslaught of questions as he looked over me, Landen, then finally Drake. “I don’t know what you did , son – but good job,” he said to Draven.

“But he’s better?” I asked Draven .

He nodded once. “They’re closer now , ”
h e said as awe and pride surfaced in him.

“What just happened? What did you do?” Alamos asked as he checked Drake’s pulse.

“She just let them know she was here,” Draven answered , reaching for my hand to guide me off the bed.

“And just how did she do that?” Alamos asked curtly.

“Does it matter?” Draven said , not really caring who Alamos or anyone else was.

My father reached for my shoulders as I climbed out of the bed. “Can you do it again? This is the strongest they have been in this state. C
an you bring them back if we left the room again?”

I looked at Draven to question if that w ere possible. His eyes told me no.

“We are going to have to go and get t hem. Willow took the first step to break the illusion , but the only way to wake them is to go there – show them the way home.”

“And how do you plan to do that?” Brady asked , not breaking his stare with Landen’s body.

“I’m going to teach her to see – if you plan to follow her there , then you might want to grasp it.” He glance d at the doorway. “I need Aden.
Charlie.” He walked around to foot of the bed and pulled the drape closed .
“Madison.”

“Where are they?” I asked , wanting to learn this now.

“With Perodine – in the study , ” Alamos answered .

“I’ll get them,” Brady said as he turned to leave the room.

Alamos pulled the drapes on the side of Drake’s bed closed a little more as he locked eyes with Draven. I felt Draven’s emotions range in every direction as he stared at him.

“Are you judging me , son?” Alamos asked , looking carefully over him.

“Not at all. J
ust trying to understand , ” Draven said calmly.

“What is it that you are trying to understand?” Alamos asked in a defensive tone.

Draven’s eyes smiled slig htly. “Over four million years. One love.
Yet you fight with her.”

Alamos was speechless of a second.
“I’m not fighting with her. I’m protecting Drake. S
omeone has to.”

Draven glanced at me , then Alamo s. “That role has been filled.
You need to find another excuse.”

“Has it?” Alamos said shortly. “I see two bodies lying here. Not one – he is not safe until she decides she loves him. She is the one that needs to stop fighting.”

“She does , ” Draven said shortly. “If she didn’t , he would already be dead…as soon as you stop focusing on what you want and focus on what he really needs , your eyes will be open.”

“Do you honestly think I am going to take advice from a mere infant? Someone who only thinks they have grasped -
-”
Alamos stopped in mid -
sentence as his eyes moved to the doorway.